December 18, 2015
1 Samuel 30-Part 2
...they had crushed Ziklag and burned it to the ground. They had carried off the women and children and everyone else but without killing anyone. 1 Samuel 30:1b-2
LET IT GLOW
When all is taken away, where do I turn? The Lord has the answers, this I know. Just this week, I chipped off a big chunk of my molar tooth. My wonderful dentist was good enough to work me into his busy schedule to put a temporary crown on it after filling it. Now I can't eat sticky and crunchy food until I get the permanent crown in 10 days. Ugh! Do you know that I always have pecan pie during our Christmas dinner? Guess I won't this year. I'll have to bake a pumpkin for me to eat while others enjoy their pecan. Oh, well, so is life. It could have been worse-needing it pulled out. What is worse is a burnt down house and my family captured by enemies, as happened to David. Where does David turn in a time of trouble? (At least I still have my house and family-it could be worse. If I have a choice, I'd take the chipped tooth and no pecan pie any day.)
David and his men were sent home to Ziklag after the Philistine commanders refused for them to join their army fighting against Israel. Upon arrival, they found their town of Ziklag burned down and all of their families taken captive, if not dead. Needless to say, these men were very upset at the realization that they had "no home" to come home to.
Looking at verse 6, we discover:
- David was greatly distressed.
- The men spoke of stoning David because they were grieved over loosing their family.
- Finally, while in the land of the Philistines, he gets a clue. David encourage himself in the LORD his God. He found strength in the Lord, according to NLT.
- David sent the Priest Ahiathar to bring him the ephod and it was so.
What was the outcome? David asked the Lord if he should pursue after the Amalekites, the and of raiders. (Keep in mind, David had done the same to them, only killing all the Amalekites who were in their city at the time.)
Do we wait until we are in trouble before we seek the Lord's will? Or do we seek it everyday? Are we considering that problems may be a way of God getting our attention to bring us closer to Him?
LET IT GROW
The LORD told David to go and he would recover all that was taken from him. No time to dilly dally around. David and his 600 men hit the road.
What happened along the way?
- Before crossing the Brook Besor, 200 of his men were too exhausted to cross and stayed behind.
- The rest of the 400 men went on.
- Along the way, they found an Egyptian man in a field, who had been sick and left behind by the Amalekites for dead. They brought him to David, gave him bread and water, fig cake and raisins for he had been without food and drink for 3days. Soon this man regained his strength.
- The man admitted that his troop of Amalekites had burnt Ziklag.
- He talked David into not killing him, nor returning him to his master in exchange for guiding David to his troop. (We can't leave David there, we must read the rest of the story-did he retrieve his family and those of his men?
- David saw the Amalekites partying hard, now. They were spread out across a field, eating, drinking, and dancing, enjoying their plunder obtained from the Philistines and the Judeans, and oblivious to the presence of their enemies, David and his 400 men.
- David and his men rushed in and slaughtered them throughout that night and the next day into that evening. Only 400 Amalekites escaped on their camels.
- David got back everything taken, his two wives, all the families of his men, even their livestock.
Do we tell others that God keeps His promises and His Word. Do we know what they are? What promises has He kept for you lately?
LET IT GO
Repent of my straying, going my own way, turning to God.
Determine to go His way, faithfully serving my God.
Count my blessings.
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